Electric heater



June 20, 1950 H. s, HILL 2,511,848

ELECTRIC HEATER Filed June 26, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V TOR. oxzjpzea H. S. HILL ELECTRIC HEATER June 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1948 tion.

Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC HEATER Harold S. Hill, Lockport, N. Y.

Application June 26, 1948, Serial No. 35,362

8. Claims. 1

This invention relates to an electric heater and more particularly to a thermostatically controlled electricheater adapted to heat the fuel oil supplied to oil burning furnaces as well as oil supplied for the direct generation of power as in Diesel engines.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive fuel oil heater which will maintain the desired temperature of the oil during inoperative intervals of the furnace or the like, as well as while the furnace is operative, thereby to supply preheated oil each time the furnace isstarted so as to insure instantaneous starting as well as increased combustion efliciency'whilethe, furnace is running.

Another. object of the invention is to provide such a heater in; which the movement of the oil through the heater is such as to be raised to the desired temperature with aminimum consumption of electrical energy, and in which the oil is required to be heated to the preset temperature before it can pass to the oil burner.

Another object is to provide such a heater in which, during off service periods, the lighter fractions are collected for immediate supply to the burner thereby tofurther insure instantaneous starting.

Another object is to provide such a heater having heating and thermostat elements of adequate size and which can readily be removed for Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation viewed from the left- .hand end of Fig. 2.

.taken on line 66, Fig. 2.

The invention is shown as comprising a casing,

' indicated generally at 9 and through which the oil to be heated flows and which is shown as comprising a sheet metal bottom wall In supported on legs II and having circular ends.

.ous or enclosing sheet metal wall 12 rises from A continuthe margin of the bottom I and a sheet metal top wall I3 of the same shape as the bottom H1 is connected at its margin to the upper extremity heater embodying my inven of the side wall I2, the bottom I0, sidewall I2 and top I3 being suitably joined to provide a sealed casing. The oil to be heated is supplied from a pipe l4 extending through the curved part of the side wall [2 at oneextremity of the casing and discharging the oil into the casing at a point close to the bottom II]v thereof. At the opposite extremity of the casing the top I3 is formed to provide a dome I5 and an outlet It extends through the upper extremity of this dome and communicates with the interior thereof.

Within the central part of the casing a transverse partition 20 is provided so as to provide a central compartment 2| for the electrical heating elements and thermostat. The opposite vertical edges of this partition 20 engage the opposite straight sides of the casing wall l2 and arewelded or otherwise suitably secured thereto so that the compartment 2| is isolated from the oil flowing through the casing I2. The partition 20 is formed to provide a central dam or baffle 22 which is at a substantial elevation and over which the oil passing through the casing must flow before escaping through the outlet I6. On opposite sides of the arching central portion of this partition, the partition is formed to provide horizontal flat extensions 23 which are spaced from the bottom II] of the casing. The opposite extremities of the partition 20 are formed to provide vertical legs or walls 24 which extend downwardly from the flat portions 23 and are welded or otherwise suitably secured and sealed to the bottom I 0 of the casing. It will be seen that the compartment 2I has a central arching portion flanked by side wings of slight height but of substantial depth and breadth.

The front wall of the casing is provided with an opening 25, this opening being within the limits defined by the partition 20 so as to provide access to the compartment 2|. This opening conforms to the shape of the partition 22, cars 26 in the form of extensions from the side wall I2 being provided, however, for removably securing the electrical heating elements and thermostat within the compartment 2 I. For this purpose, a sheet metal slide 28 is provided which is insertable into the compartment 2| through the opening 25 and rests upon the bottom ID of the casing. This slide 28 is bent to provide a front wall 29 which conforms generally to the shape of the partition 22 and encloses the opening 25. This front wall 29 engages the ears 26 and can be secured thereto by screws 30 as shown.

A thermostat, indicated generally at 32, is shown as mounted on the central part of the slide 28, this thermostat being shown as operatively connected to an indicator comprising a round casing 33 extending through the front wall 29 of the slide and having a graduated dial 34 and pointer 35, this pointer being actuated by the thermostat 32 to indicate the temperature of the oil within the casing 9. This thermostat 32 is also connected in any suitable manner (not shown) to control a pair of electrical heaters 36, these heaters being also mounted upon the slide 28 and, in the inserted position of this slide, being arranged under the fiat parts 23 of the partition 20.

It will be seen that the heating elements 36 and thermostat 32, together with their electrical connections (not shown) can readily be removed from the casing 9 by the simple expedient of removing the screws 30 and withdrawing the slide 28 from the compartment 2|. Any repairs or inspection can be readily made upon these parts and the slide 28 reinserted and fastened with equal facility. It will further be seen that since the oil to be heated enters at one extremity of the heater near the bottom thereof, it immediately contacts the adjacent flat part 23 of the central partition 20 and which is in close proximity to the corresponding heating element 36 so that the oil is rapidly raised in temperature. Since the flow of fuel oil is very slow relative to the size of the casing 9 the entering oil does not escape over the high arching central part of the dam 22 provided by the partition 25 until it has been heated through contact with the adjacent flat part 23 of this partition and rises by convection. Accordingly, the cool oil is held in the bottom part of the entering end of the casing until it has been heated to the temperature desired. Further, during off periods of the heater and with the body of oil within the casing 9 maintained at the temperature determined by the settin of the thermostat t2, the lighter fractions of the oil rise and collect within the dome l5. Since the oil is withdrawn from this dome it will be seen that these lighter fractions are used on again starting the burner, thereby to insure instantaneous starting.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive electrical heater particularly designed for preheating fuel oil and in which parts are so arranged as to insure that the oil leaving the heater is at the desired elevated temperature and in which all of the electrical parts are readily removable when it is desired to inspect or repair the same.

I claim:

1. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing and having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured. to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet and. to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, said side wall of said casing being provided within the area defined by said compartment with an opening providing access to said compartment, an electrical heating element in said compartment and removable through said opening, a removable closure for said opening, and an oil outlet pipe extendin through said casing and having its inlet arranged adjacent said top wall at the end of said casing opposite said oil inlet pipe.

2. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing and having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet and to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, said side wall of said casing being provided within the area defined by said partition with an opening providing access to said compartment and extending down to said bottom wall, a slide supported on said bottom wall Within said compartment and removable through said opening, a wall rising from the outer edge of said slide and forming a closure for said opening, an electrical heating element on said slide, and. an oil outlet pipe extending through said casing and having its inlet end arranged adjacent said top wall at the end of said casing opposite said oil inlet pipe.

3. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing and having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side Wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet and to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, said side wall of said casing being provided within the area defined by said partition with an opening providing access to said compartment and extending down to said bottom wall, a sheet metal slide supported on said bottom wall within said compartment, the outer end of said slide being bent upwardly and being larger than said opening to provide a closure therefor, an electrical heating element on said slide, and an oil outlet pipe extending through said casing and having its inlet end arranged adjacent said top wall at the end of said casing opposite said oil inlet pipe.

4. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing and having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet and to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, said Side wall of said casing being provided within the area defined ,cess to said compartment and-extending down to said bottom wall, and also: being formed to provide a pairof earsextending into said opening, a sheet metal slide supported on said bottom wall within said compartment, the outer end of of said ears, an electrical heating element on said slide, and an oil outlet pipe extending through said casing and having its inlet end arranged adjacent said top wall at the end of said casing opposite said oil inlet pipe.

5. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, the portions of said partition adjacent its said opposite horizontal bottom edges extending horizontally and being closely spaced with reference to the bottom of said casing to provide horizontally extending side wings of slight height in said compartment and the part of said partition between its horizontally extending parts arching upwardly therefrom to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet, an electrical heating element in each of said wings of said compartment, a thermostat to control said heating elements arranged in arching part of said compartment, and an oil outlet pipe extending through said casing and having its inlet arranged adjacent said top wall at the end of said casing opposite said oil inlet pipe.

6. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like, comprising a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, the portions of said partition adjacent its said opposite horizontal bottom edges extending horizontally and being closely spaced with reference to the bottom of said casing to provide horizontally extending side wings of slight height in said compartment and the part of said partition between its horizontally extending parts arching upwardly therefrom to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet, an electrical heating element in each of said wings of said compartment, a thermostat to control said heating elements arranged in arching part of said compartment, said top wall of said casing being formed at the end opposite said oil inlet pipe to provide a dome rising therefrom, and an oil outlet pipe extending through said casing and having its inlet arranged within the space provided by said dome.

7. An electric heater for fuel oil or the like,

comprising a horizontally elongated casing havin ra bottom wall, an enclosing'side wall anda top .wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casingand discharging oil into one end of said casing near thev bottom thereof, a transverse central partitionin said casing having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of said casing to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, the portions of said partition adjacent its said opposite horizontal bottom edges extending horizontally and being closely spaced with reference to the bottom of said casing to provide horizontally extending side wings of slight height in said compartment and the part of said partition between its horizontally extending parts arching upwardly therefrom to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet, said side wall of said casing being provided within the area defined by said partition with an openin providing access to said compartment and extending down to said bottom wall, a slide supported on said bottom Wall and removable through said opening, a wall rising from the outer edge of said slide and forming a closure for said opening, an electrical heating element on each side of said slide and fitted within the corresponding wing of said compartment, a thermostat to control said heating elements mounted on said slide and fitted within the arching part of said compartment, and an oil outlet pipe extending through said casing and having its inlet arranged adjacent said top wall at the end of said casing opposite said oil inlet pipe.

8. An electrical heater for fuel oil or the like, comprisin a horizontally elongated casing having a bottom wall, an enclosing side wall and a top wall, an oil inlet pipe extending through said casing and discharging oil into one end of said casing near the bottom thereof, a transverse central partition in said casing having its opposite vertical edges secured to opposite longitudinal parts of the side wall of said casing and having opposite horizontal :bottom edges secured to the bottom wall of the said casing to provide a transverse compartment in the central part of said casing, the portions of said partition adjacent its said opposite horizontal bottom edges extending horizontally and being closely spaced with reference to the bottom of said casing to provide horizontally extending side wings of slight height in said compartment and the part of said partition between its horizontally extending parts arching upwardly therefrom to provide a central dam across the interior of said casing and rising a substantial distance above said inlet, said top wall of said casing being formed at the end opposite said oil inlet pipe to provide a dome rising therefrom, said side wall of said casing being provided within the area defined by said partition with an opening providing access to said compartment and extending down to said bottom wall and also being formed to provide a pair of ears extending into said opening, a sheet metal slide supported on said bottom wall within said compartment, the outer end of said slide being bent upwardly and being larger than said opening to provide a closure therefor, a fastening member securing said closure to each of said ears, an electrical heating arrangement on each side of said slide 7 and fitted within the corresponding wing of said REFERENCES CITED compartment, a thermostat to control said heating elements mounted on said slide and. fitted g g ggggg fg are of record in the within the arching part of said compartment, and an oil outlet pipe extending through said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS casing and having its inlet arranged within the Number Name Date space provided by said dome. 1,844,268 Alex Feb. 9, 1932 1,861,877 Quill June 7, 1932 HAROLD S. HILL. 2,099,018 Kennedy Nov. 16, 1937 

